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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Memories of The Old Cart
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 3 December 1921]
Editor Telegraph and Tribune
Welland, Ont
Dear Duff:
A few weeks ago I saw in your paper a short article about the old Telegraph cart that was lying at the back of your office and still in use, and you mentioned something about placing it in the museum or putting another pig’s ear on the wheels or something to that effect. It stirred up old memories of that cart and my days of devildom in the Telegraph office. I served my apprenticeship pushing that cart and it was over thirty years ago too. It was known all over the town by the noise it made going along the sidewalks Friday mornings at two, three, four and six o’clock. Many a citizen in those days with a bad conscience and insomnia were awakened by the Telegraph devil pushing the mail home after midnight in order to catch the six o’clock train in the morning. But there was one morning in particular of all the particular mornings I remember. That cart was just the width of the sidewalks, a half inch to spare on each side. I left the office at three o’clock a.m., going out the back way and across the bridge at Division street and around East Main street to Burgar street and down Burgar to Dorothy where we live on the corner. It was snowing to beat the band, but we never had a mishap. We never missed that six o’clock train either. I got to bed about four and sharp at a quarter to six mother called me, and I started out for the station in the dark and snow. I navigated alright until I got to Teskey’s corner where there was quite ditch. The train was whistling and I got excited. The snow was two feet deep and I was three feet high and that cart went off the sidewalk into the ditch. I said some naughty words, but finally went back to the house for my big brother George; he was three and a half feet high. We got the mail out of the snow and started for the depot with it on our backs, but Squire Hellems was late that morning too and he and “Prinny” came galloping along the road. We blocked the way and never was so near going to the coop as that morning. The “Squire”was pretty mad until he saw who it was, but by that time we had the Telegraph loaded on his sleigh and away we went. Conductor Boyle was a pretty good old scout and he waited for us. Give my regards to the old cart and when you bury it hang a wreath on for me.
Yours very truly,
C.H. Sawle
New Hamilton, B.C., Nov. 28.27.
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